Raipur: As many as 440 shiksha karmis (contract teachers) who are striking work for redressal of their demands, were terminated from service by Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday.

The teachers have been striking work since December 3 last year for their demands including salary on par with the 6th Pay Commission and regularisation of their services.

Majority of those dismissed today were from Jashpur Zila Panchayat, a senior government official said. "400 contractual teachers of the Jashpur Zila Panchayat have been terminated after they ignored the notice served to them to resume to their work," Collector Ankit Anand said.

Around 2,000 striking teachers of the district were served notice by the district administration and action has been taken against 400 in the first phase, he said. According to officials of Dantewada district administration, as many as 40 contractual teachers, who had ignored the notice to call off the protest and join their respective schools, also stand dismissed.

Notably, hundreds of contractual teachers were agitating in the capital Raipur since December 3 last year demanding salary at par with regular teachers and their merger in the regular posts of state education department cadre.

Talks held between the state government and representatives of teachers during the agitation were inconclusive.